Disney Wiki
Register
Advertisement
Disney Wiki
Macys80thparadelogo

The Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade is an annual parade presented by the U.S. chain store business Macy's. The tradition started in 1924, tying it for the second-oldest Thanksgiving parade in the United States along with America's Thanksgiving Parade in Detroit, with both parades four years younger than the 6abc Dunkin' Donuts Thanksgiving Day Parade in Philadelphia.

For many years, starting in 1934, the parade featured a variety of Disney balloons, floats and performers.

Featured Disney characters have included Mickey Mouse, Donald Duck, Kermit the Frog, Spider-Man, Goofy, Chicken Little, Buzz Lightyear, JoJo and Olaf.

History of Disney in the Parade

The association with Disney and the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade began in 1934, when Walt Disney and then-Parade Director Tony Sarg callobrated to create a selection of Balloons based on various Disney characters, include Horace Horsecollar, one of the Three Little Pigs, Pluto, The Big Bad Wolf, and the main attraction, a 40-foot Mickey Mouse. In 1935, a Donald Duck balloon was added, but all of the balloons would retire soon afterwards. Mickey and the Pig would return in a Boston parade called the Santason Parade in 1938, which was the last time they would be used before being disposed off. Also that year, a balloon based on Ferdinand the Bull appeared to promote the short in both parades.

In 1962, A new balloon of Donald Duck was created as part of a selection of classics that would appear in the parade in years to come, like Bullwinkle and Underdog. Smaller balloons based on Huey, Dewey, and Louie were planned to debut as well, but were scrapped due to them being disproportionate compared to the Donald balloon itself. The Donald balloon flew for years ahead, and was joined in 1968 by a one-off Birthday Cake float celebrating Mickey Mouse's 40th Birthday.

In 1969, three Disney-themed floats were added to the parade - a Wagon that normally held the walk-around versions of Mickey Mouse, Pluto and Goofy (sometimes with other characters as well), a Pirate Ship float based on Peter Pan made to promote the 1969 reissue of the movie (which featured the Walk-Around Captain Hook and Peter Pan) and a Three Little Pigs, consisting of model carvings of the Pigs. In 1970, a float based on The Aristocats appeared for that year to promote the film.

In 1971, Walt Disney Productions and Macy's got together to produce a brand new Mickey Mouse balloon, which was successfully had it's test-flight that year, but couldn't debut because of heavy rain and winds, which led to all the balloons being grounded for the only time in the parade's history. A new float based on Cinderella Castle also debuted that year to celebrate the opening of the Walt Disney World Resort that year.

In 1972, while the Three Little Pigs float was removed, everything else stayed. Mickey finally debuted, and appeared alongside the retiring Donald balloon for the second and only time in the parade's history. That year, the Disney units were promoting the first anniversary of the Walt Disney World Resort, while for 1973, they promoted the 50th Anniversary of Walt Disney Productions itself.

Gallery

Advertisement